Durham plane crash claims life of Seneca College teacher was to be married next month

Durham plane crash claims life of Seneca College teacher was to be married next month

Glenn Lowson/Toronto Star file p

This photo from March 2009 shows flight instructor Azizullah Yoosufani, 26, in a flight simulator. The Seneca College instructor was killed along with two students in a single-engine plane crash Thursday night in north Pickering.

PICKERING -- A Seneca College flight instructor who was among three people killed in a single-engine plane crash Thursday night was to be married next month.

Azizullah Yoosufani, 26, of Toronto had been an award-winning pilot and an instructor at the college's flight school for just over two years.

Now his fiancee and family are in mourning after the Beechcraft F33A Bonanza crashed on a routine training exercise in north Pickering.

All three on board died on impact, police said.

Students Cynthia Hoi-Mei Tsang of Toronto and Lloyd Myles Cripps of Brampton, both 20, were in their third year at Seneca's flight training school.

Yoosufani was supposed to get married Dec. 26, said his brother, Farman.

He said the family hasn't been told what caused the crash and it's unclear who was at the controls when the plane went down.

The three were returning to Buttonville airport at around 7 p.m. when Pearson airport notified Durham police that it lost the plane on radar. The flight took place over Durham Region airspace, said Sgt. Nancy van Rooy.

"They flew out of Buttonville in Markham and they intended to travel across Durham Region and outside of our jurisdiction, but they never got to their turnaround point further east," van Rooy said.

It is believed a problem with the aircraft forced the plane to turn around and try to report back to Buttonville sooner than expected.

A police helicopter found the wreckage in a farmer's field near Whitevale Rd., south of Highway 407 in north Pickering.

About two dozen friends and family members gathered in Yoosufani's one-bedroom apartment Friday. They hugged, prayed and wept.

Yoosufani met his fiancee, Hira, while at Seneca, although she wasn't in the flight training program. On Friday afternoon, she was resting at the North York apartment building. Her twin sister, Iqra, said Hira was still in shock and "having a very difficult time."

"He was everything to me," said Zahida Parveen, Yoosufani's mother, periodically breaking down. "He was like a prince to me. I never had any complaints."

Parveen was visiting Canada from her home in Karachi, Pakistan, to help prepare for the wedding.

Yoosufani died on the second day of Eid, which is traditionally a joyous time for Muslims. They had planned a celebration, but said now they will just pray.

Yoosufani came to Canada from Pakistan about six years ago. He spent two years studying in Windsor, then moved to Seneca's flight school.

"He was one of the kindest, most generous and down-to-earth people," said college friend Afshan Anwar. "He was really careful (about flying) and proud of what he was doing."

Respected by faculty and peers, Yoosufani had just completed his upgrade to a Class 1 instructor.

The other victims were hailed as exemplary students and people. Both had passed their commercial pilot written exams and flight tests. Cripps was working toward his instructor's rating.

Meanwhile, Seneca College president David Agnew said the school will be flying flags at half-mast.

"Our hearts are with the families and we are coming together to support the students, faculty and staff who have lost friends and colleagues," he said.

A private memorial will be organized next week for the flight school community.
Jayme Poisson and Curtis Rush are reporters for the Toronto Star